John hawlowetz



(No Model.) 7 J. HAWLOWETZ.

MACHINE FOE DRYING FEATHERS.

No. 259,388. Patented June 13, 1882.

WITNESSE I ENTOR N BY I, 1,1,4

6%f ATTORNEY N. PETERS, Fholo-blhngm her. Washington. 0. a

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE,

JOHN HAW'LOWETZ, OF NEW? YORK, N. Y.

MACHINE FOR DRYING FEATHERS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 259,388, dated June 13, 1882. Application filed April 21, 1882. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, JOHN HAWLOWETZ, of the city, county, and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Machines for Drying Feathers, of which the following is a specification.

Ostrich and other feathers, which are used to a great extent for the trimming of ladies hats, require to be carefully cleaned by washing, after which they are sized and dried, and then dyed or otherwise prepared and finished for use. The drying operation was heretofore accomplished by hand by taking hold of the feathers with the right hand an d expelling the adhering water and size by striking a few blows on the left arm, whereby the surplus size is removed and the vanes of the feathers spread, the feathers being then completely dried by being hung up in a hot room.

The object of this invention is to substitute for the hand-labor heretofore required an improved machine, whereby the drying of a large number of feathers may be accomplished in a quicker and more perfect manner; and the invention consists of a closed dryingchamber, which is provided at its interior with fixed inclined transverse wire frames or gratings that are arranged at both sides of oscillating beaterframes, to the opposite ends of which the wet and sized feathers are applied, so that by the oscillations of the beater-frames the feathers are struck against the inclined wire frames, and thereby the moisture and surplus size removed.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 represents a vertical longitudinal section of myimproved apparatus for drying ostrich and other feathers. Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section of the same on line 00 m, Fig. 1, and Figs. 3 and 4; are respectively a detail top view and a section of that portion of the beater-frame which holds the feathers in beating.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

The ostrich or other feathers are applied, after being cleaned and sized in the usual mannor, by their quills to the opposite ends of the oscillating beater frames A, which are arranged at the interior of a closed drying-chamber, B, the center shafts of the beater-frames Aturningin suitable bearings in the side walls of the drying-chamber B. The end walls of the drying chamber B are arranged with hinged doors having glass windows, so as to give access to the interior of the frames and admit of the progress of the drying process to be observed from the outside.

The oscillating motion is imparted to the beater-frames A, either by hand or power, the shafts of the frames being for this purpose extended to one end through theside wall of the drying-chamber B, and provided with cranks which are connected by a crank-rod to an cecentric of a driving-shaft, supported in bearings at the top of the drying-chamber. The beater-frames A are arranged at their opposite ends with a number of transversely-stretched retaining-wires, a a, through which the quills of the feathers are alternately passed, as shown in Figs. 3 and 4.

The thickest ends of the quills are furthermore secured by means of twisted bindingstrings and fastening-wires b to side hooks b of the beater frames A. By the pressure of the stretched transvere wires and the retaining action of the twisted binding-strings the feathers are securely held parallel to each other at both ends of the beater-frames, so that by the oscillations of the same they are brought with considerable force into contact with fixed inclined wire frames or gratings G at the interior of the chamber B.

Two wire frames 0 are arranged at each end ot'abeater-frame-one above the other below the sameat such angles of inclination as correspond to the terminal positions of the oscillating beater-fram es. Each beater-frame A works consequentlyin connection with four fixed wire frames C, so that the feathers are thrown at each oscillation against two wire frames located diagonally to the shaft of the beater-frame. I

To soften the blow of the beater-frames upon the fixed wire frames 0, one of each pair of beater-frames is provided with rubber cushions d, as shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

Theinterior of the drying-chamber is heated by steam or otherwise, and the surplus moist= ure drawn off to the exterior by means ofa suction-fan or other ventilating device oper ated by a belt and pulley in connection with the driving shatt of the beater=frames-, as shown in Fig. 1. V

In this manner a large number of feathers may be quickly freed of the adhering size and moisture by the beating action of the oscillating frames upon the fixed wire frames, and then dried by exposure to the high temperature kept up in the interior of the dryingchamber.

The feathers are thus dried in a more uniform manner and at less cost than by handlabor, without exposing the workmen to the high temperature in which they are now required to work in order to properly heat up and dry the feathers.

Having thus described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure byLetters Patent- 1. An apparatus for dryingostrich and other feathers, consisting of a tightly-closed dryingchamber, fixed interior wire frames arranged at a suitable angle of inclination, and of intermediate oscillating beater-frames provided with means to. attach the feathers to their opposite ends, substantially as set forth.

2. The combination ofaclosed drying-chamber having fixed interior wire frames, the latter being provided with rubber cushions, with oscillating beater-frames having means to attach the feathers to their opposite ends, substantially as set forth.

3. In an apparatus for drying ostrich and other feathers, a beater frame, A, having transverse retaining-wires a a at opposite ends, and transverse binding-strings I), applied to the frame back of the retaining-wires, substantially as described.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my invention I have signed my name in presence of two subscribing witnesses.

PAUL GoEPEL, CARL KARI. 

